Truss



F. L. UNION Jan. 6, 1942.

TRUSS 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1941 v grwe/wbo'v f7a/2Z4L 0722072 Jan. 6, 1942. F. L. UNION 2,269,044

' muss Filed April 4, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 grwa/wbcw 2742/6. Z. 0722072 Patented Jan. 6, 1 942 four-[E sures C i 2,269,044 Titus-S 1 Frank L. Union, Miami; Fla. 7 Application April .4, 1941, Serial No. 386,898

1 Claim. (cries- 121 The invention relates to trusses of the belt carrying-pad type, and particularly aims to in crease the efficiency of such devices, in supporting and retaining hernias while-at the same time materially increasing the comfort of the persons required to wear such appliance.

A special aim of the invention is to obviat the need for having the waist or hip belt drawn tightly around the body'of the wearer, which has been a special Objection in such devices, where a "leg strap is used connected to the waist-band at the back, it having been necessary to have this band fairly tight in order to prevent'it from sagging under the pull of the leg strap. By the use of my invention suchsagging is entirely overcome without requiring the belt to be drawn tight around the body of the wearer.

Another important aim of the invention is to present a novel manner of mounting the pad proper to the end that it is independent of the movement of any part of the supporting straps,

so the pad will remain properly in position over the hernia or-other part requiringsupport, in all positions of the body. Y 7

Another important aim of the invention is-to provide a novel form of pad-retainer and body protector in a quick-detachable and renewable form, enhancing the sanitary advantages of the device. Additional related and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent from; the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein though this length may be varied according to mit the elastic extension and contraction of thebelt around the metal, as may be required in adjustment of the belt upon a wearer. The strip I4 is preferably of such major transverse dimension that it lies closely to the stitching between the upper'and lower edges of the belt and back piece I3, so that it aifords a substantially rigid truss element with respect to vertical stresses;

'It is, however, light enough to be vbent horizontally toaccommodate itself to the contours of the wearer, and the extremities are slightly curved so as to extend with a slight curve around On the belt there is a the sides of the wearer. slide 15, movable longitudinally over that portion 'of the belt Where the back piece I3 is applied, and having thereon a buckle 1 6by which a leg-strap may be connected to the slide, as

Figure 1 is a front elevation of *a portion of i the body of a person having my truss adjusted thereon in one position.

Figure 2 shows a manner of use of the device at another position.

Figure 3 is a top view of the belt. Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation o the belt, enlarged.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the padsupporting web.

Figure 6 is a front View of the boot for leg strap and pad, detached. Figure 7 is an enlarged section oflthe pad device.

There is illustrated a truss comprising a belt the or waist-band l0,which -is preferably formed of longitudinally elastic material,- adapted to encircle the waist of a patient, or to pass around the hips of the patient, and. having separable ends secured *releasablytogether by meansof .a belt buckle or other fastening H, and including also means formally shown at I2 for extensibly or-retractibly adjusting the length of the belt.

An additional piece of elastic webbing o'fsimilar size and material, indicated at- |3,-is secured at its edges to the rear portion of the belt [0, the section I3 being of a length approximately equal to two-thirds the length of the belt, al-

will be found desirable. In the present instance, the slide is formed of a short length of woven vegetable fiber strap material or metal fitted snugly around the belt, and the material of the,

belt in and backpiece l3 are formed of woven elastic fabric materials of such structure that rubber or other elastic material enclosed therein may beextended and contracted by the nature of the weave of the fabric, which, taken with the enclosed elastic, will constitute an elastic extensible material. The slide being made of woven material or metal, and being fitted snugly around the belt, may be adjusted longitudinally on the belt, but will not tend to change the position of adjustment unless manually moved, and therefore may be positioned so as to hold the leg strap of such a'device in proper position to suit particular cases. I

"Near one end of the belt, although it may be otherwise located if desired, there is a pend be the sameas the material of the belt, secured 7 upon the belt and extending downwardly there and if desired, a facing piece [9 of leather, or other suitable non-irritating material, suitable for contacting the skin of a wearer, may be secured over ,the end portions of the Web l! where it underlies the belt l0, and will project beyond a boot device, presently to be described, so as to protect the body of a wearer, or to protect the wearers garments, as may be necessary. The end of the strap I8 is adapted for engagement through the buckle It, for longitudinal adjustment and tightening, as may be required. A pad proper, 20, is provided, which in the present instance is formed of a semi-spherical body of sponge rubber, the entire surface of which is continuous smooth skin of. the same or other suitable material, although it may be covered with a supplementary facing, if desired. This pad thus has a fiat side, which is set against the web IT, or it may be reversed, in accommodating the device ,to various cases.

A boot device 2| is provided, consisting of a lower narrow sleeve portion 22, adapted to fit snugly around the strap I8, and an upper broad portion continued above the sleeve, and open at 1 adjacent each of the corners thus formed, there are secured male elements of separable fasteners,

the female supplementary elements for which are secured upon the belt I on its outer side, equally spaced from the web I! at opposite sides of the latter. The boot is so constructed that it may be drawn upwardly over the strap l8 and web H, and its upper open portion drawn above the belt and then swung downwardly over the belt until the fastenings 2-5 and 26 may be coengaged to secure the boot in place in that manner. The broadened part is of such proportions that it may pass over the pad 20, accommodating the latter thereunder and serving as a guard between the pad and body of the wearer, in addition to preventing the strap and web l8 from chafing the skin of the wearer, and protecting the wearer from irritation by the lapped portions of the straps and web, and the lapped portion of the web I! and belt I0.

It will of course be appreciated that the stitching of the longitudinal edges of the belt 10 and the back piece I3 should be of the overhand type or other stitching which will permit the lengthening of the belt under stress, as an elastic element, and its proper contraction when released from compression.

In order to absorb moisture and prevent chafing, a slip of padding may be used in parts Where the chafing could occur.

In the use of this appliance, the belt is adjusted to position upon the wearer in accordance with the location of the hernia or other wound to be supported, so that the web piece I! will extend thereover. Preferably, if the hernia or wound is below the level of a line around the hips of the wearer, the belt is adjusted so as to set around the hips of the wearer, without excessive tension, but if the wound is above this level, the belt is preferably adjusted around the waist of the wearer above the hips, so that the web IT lies over the hernia or wound. The pad is then positioned with either side against the under side of the web 11, and pressed firmly thereagainst, after which the boot 2| is drawn upwardly around the strap [8, over the pad, and over the top edge of the belt, and the fastenings and 26 coengaged, as before indicated. The lower end of the strap is then swung inwardly through the crotch of the wearer and around the leg, and brought upwardly to the buckle IS on the slide l5, which is adjusted longitudinally on the belt, so that the strap will be held in proper position to firmly retain the pad in position, especially in the case where the belt is adjusted around the hips, and in cases where the belt is adjusted around the waist of the wearer, the strap I1 is less firmly secured in the same manner, sufficient play being allowed to prevent the strap from disturbing the position of the pad, which will in this instance be mainly determined by the belt itself.

It will be appreciated that by reason of the manner in, which the rear portion of the belt is trussed or sustained by the metal plate I4, the tension exerted in the strap I8 against the belt will not cause the back portion of the belt to sag, even when it is loosely adjusted upon a wearer. On the contrary, in prior devices the belt has been liable to sag at the back when the leg strap is attached, and it has been necessaryto draw the belt tighter than is comfortable for the wearer in order to minimize the effect, and also to minimize the liability of disturbance of proper adjustments which would occur through the effect of movement of the wearer in various ways which tend to cause variation of tension in the belt. Such variation in the tension of the belt will not cause the modification of the support of the leg strap in my invention. A patient may obtain one of my trusses with several of the boots, so that some of these may be in the laundry while others are worn, thus enabling the maintenance of cleanliness without inconvenience, and making it necessary to renew only the one element 2|, in order to maintain a clean cover under the pad, and for the leg strap, these being the principal parts which become soiled in such devices.

While I have disclosed a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this is purely exemplary, and that various modifications in construction and arrangement, and combination of parts, substitution of equivalents and modifications of proportions, and uses of other materials will be carried out without departing from the spirit of the invention, as more particularly set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a truss of the character described, a belt element, a depending pad-supporting web, a leg strap extended therefrom, means to connect the leg strap to the belt at the rear portion of the latter and slidable on the belt, a tubular boot element slidable upon the strap and having a pad therein having a flat side and an oval side, said boot having a broadened piece open at the front at the upper end of the boot, separable fastener elements on the upper end portion of said broadened piece, separable fastener elements upon the front face portion of the belt, said broadened portion of the boot being drawn upwardly around the belt and over the top edge thereof for engagement with respective separable fastener elements.

FRANK L. UNION. 

